Rotary engine

ABSTRACT

A stator having a main cylindrical chamber with concentric end bearings in which journal the shaft of a pentagonal parallel pistoned rotor, seal vanes on the piston crests sweeping the walls of said chamber and dividing the peripheral vacant space between said walls and said rotor into a series of five circumferentially contiguous sealed off expansion chambers. A pair of diametrically opposed cylindrical abutment chambers are provided in the stator which are parallel with and intersect the rotor chamber and have end bearings concentric therewith in which trunnions journal, to rotatably mount abutments in said chambers. The trunnions extending from said abutments to the rear of the engine are spring biased to constantly rock said abutments in a common rotational direction whereby the periphery of said rotor is constantly wiped by corresponding transverse sealing edges of said abutments. Four fluid passages are provided in the stator communicating with the peripheral portion of the rotor chamber at points close and in opposite directions from said abutment chambers. Each of these passages is connected by a smaller duct with the abutment chamber adjacent thereto. The material forming the enclosed face of each abutment is removed excepting for transverse radial sealing lips provided adjacent the two sealing edges of an approximately flat (or slightly concave) diametral face of the abutment. Operating fluid under high pressure is admitted through one of said ducts to each abutment chamber and pressurably applies torque simultaneously in equal amounts in opposite directions to the abutment mounted therein whereby said pressure is balanced equally about the axis of the abutment thereby neutralizing the torque effect of said fluid pressure on said abutment. Manual control means, including a four-way fluid reversing valve, and a biasing spring reversing mechanism functions to set the engine to run in either direction when fluid under high pressure is supplied to said valve.

United States Patent Williams [54] ROTARY ENGINE [72] Inventor: Robert B. Williams, Route 2, Bandera, Tex. 78003 [22] Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 93,171

[52] US. Cl ..4l8/239, 418/250 [51] Int. Cl, ..,.F01c21/00, F030 3/00, F04c 15/00 [58] Field of Search..418/223, 239, 240, 243, 248-251 Primary Examiner-Carlton R. Croyle Assistant Examiner-John J. Vrablik Attorney-Dana E. Keech [57 ABSTRACT- A stator having a main cylindrical chamber with concentric end hearings in which journal the shaft of a pentagonal parallel pistoned rotor, seal vanes on the piston crests sweeping the walls of said chamber and dividing the peripheral vacant space between said walls and said rotor into a series of five circumferentially contiguous sealed off expansion chambers. A pair of diametrically opposed cylindrical abutment chambers are provided in the stator which are parallel with and intersect the rotor chamber and have end bearings concentric therewith in which trunnions journal, to rotatably mount abutments in said chambers. The trunnions extending from said abutments to the rear of the engine are spring biased to constantly rock said abutments in a common rotational direction whereby the periphery of said rotor is constantly wiped by corresponding transverse sealing edges of said abutments. Four fluid passages are provided in the stator communicating with the peripheral portion of the rotor chamber at points close and in opposite directions from said abutment chambers. Each of these passages is connected by a smaller duct with the abutment chamber adjacent thereto. The material forming the enclosed face of each abutment is removed excepting for transverse radial sealing lips provided adjacent the two sealing edges of an approximately flat (or slightly concave) diametral face of the abutment. Operating fluid under high pressure is admitted through one of said ducts to each abutment chamber and pressurably applies torque simultaneously in equal amounts in opposite directions to the abutment mounted therein whereby said pressure is balanced equally about the axis of the abutment thereby neutralizing the torque effect of said fluid 1 pressure on said abutment.

- mechanism functions to set the engine to run in either direction when fluid under high pressure is supplied to said valve.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHBI 2 I972 3. 700. 357

sum 3 or 3 1 ROTARY ENGINE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The prior art shows wide use of pivoted abutments resting on circumferentially spaced points on the periphery of the rotor of a pressure fluid operated rotary engine to make sealing engagements with the rotor at such points and prevent a back flow of fluid applied to the rotor just in advance of said abutments.

None of these abutments was designed nor adapted, however, for operation by fluid delivered at the high pressures commonly in use today for hydraulically powered equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulically powered rotary engine which is especially designed and adapted for efficient operation by fluids under pressures up to 3,000 psi.

Another object is to provide such an engine which will-endure operation under such pressures without excessive wear.

Still another object is to provide such an engine which is reversible by merely reversing the direction of flow of pressure fluid through the engine.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide such an engine with pivoted abutments whichiare highly effective in providing the sealed connections with the rotor required to confine liquid under very high pressures from flowing backward from the points of admission of said fluid into the main chamber of the engine but which will not be subjected to excessive wear due to an unbalanced torque applied by the fluid to the abutment and forcing the same against the rotor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a transverse vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the rotor turning in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the invention illustrating the abutment spring biasing mechanism thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the rotor in a slightly advanced position, illustrating a vane being depressed into its slot by engagement with an abutment and just before that vane passes out from engagement with said abutment and resumes engagement with the cylindrical wall of the rotor chamber.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the entire reversing means of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a modified form of the invention portions of which are broken away to show these in vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 7. This view also diagrammatically shows a means for remotely controlling the reversing of the modified engine from a distance, merely by reversing the direction of flow of fluid through the engine.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 1. to 5 of the drawings, the invention is illustrated therein as comprising a rotary engine 10 having a stator 11 made up of a central metallic body 12 and end plates 13 and 14 which are secured to the body 12 by any preferred means such as a series of bolts (not shown). The stator body 12 has formed therein a bore 15 which is closed at its ends by plates 13 and 14 to provide the main cylindrical chamber of the engine. Provided in the end plates 13 and 14 are concentric bearings 16 and 17 in which a rotor shaft 18 journals. Fixed to the shaft 18 as by a key 19 is the engine rotor 20.

The periphery of the rotor 20 is preferably pentagonal in shape, the apices of which are rounded and provided with radial slots 25 in which flat sealing vanes 26 are slideably mounted, the inner ends of slots 25 communicating with small bores 27 which provide room for pins 28 which are driven into a row of holes formed in vanes 26 so as to act as stops limiting the outward movement of the vanes in slots 25. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 the pins 28 allow the vanes 26 freedom to respond to the centrifugal force set up by rotation of the rotor 20 whereby "they slide outwardly into sealing contact with the main cylindrical chamber 15 of the engine.

The stator body 12 also has a pair of diametrically opposed abutment bores 29 which are parallel with and intersect the bore 15 at diametrically opposed points therein. These bores are also closed at their ends by stator end plates 13 and 14, in which bearings 30 and 31 are formed which are concentric with each other and with said abutment bores. Rotatably mounted in bores 29 on trunnions 32 and 33 which journal respectively in bearings 30 and 31 are abutrnents 34 and 35. These abutments are generally cylindrical in shape and are formed concentrically with the axes of bearings 30 and 31, each abutment having a substantially flat or slightly concave face 40 terminating at its opposite edges in sealing lips 41 arid 42 which make a sealing engagement with the bore 29 containing that abutment whenever said lips are within that bore. The material of each abutment in the cylindrically shaped periphery thereof located between said lips and on the opposite side of the abutment axis from face 40 is removed so that said peripheral portion of the abutment is spaced from the bore 29 to form a pocket 43 for admitting fluid under pressure between said bore and said abutment. Inasmuch as lips 41 and 42 have identically the same radius from the axis of each abutment to the outer edges of said lips, liquid under pressure admitted to pocket 43 in either of the bores 29 applies equal torque forces to both of said lips whereby said forces are balanced causing no net application of torque by said liquid to said abutment.

The stator 11 also provides passages 44 and 45 which communicate with the cylindrical bore 15 at points close to and on opposite sides of the abutment 34 and similar passages 46 and 47 which communicate with the cylindrical bore 15 close to and on opposite sides of the abutment 35. Connecting each of the passages 44, 45, 46 and 47 with the abutment bore 29 adjacent thereto is a duct 48.

The passages 44, 45, 46 and 47 terminate at their outer ends in tapped counter bores into which pipes 49 are screwed through which pressure liquid is delivered to the engine and spent liquid is conveyed from the engine back to a pump P from which the liquid under pressure originates.

Extending rearwardly from the engine 10, abutment trunnions 32 are provided with rockers 55 and 56 having anns 57 and 58 respectively, arm 57 having a block 59 pivotally mounted on the end of said arm, this block being transversely bored to receive threaded rod 60 having a nut 61 and connected to a contractile spring 62, the other end of which is connected to a pin 63 provided on the end of arm 58. Rocker 55 also has an arm 64 which is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 65 having a lateral extension 66 on the end of which is mounted a handle 67. The lower end of link 65 has a vertical slot 70 which receives a pin 71 mounted on the end of an arm 72 which is provided by rocker 56. As shown in FIG. 3 the rockers 55 and 56, spring 62, links 65 and handle 67 comprise a means 73 for biasing abutments 34 and 35 into constant yieldable engagement with engine rotor 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The means 73 is also adapted for manually reversing the direction in which said abutments are thus biased by lifting on handle 67 so as to swing rockers 55 and 56 to reversely position abutments 34 and 35 relative to engine rotor 20 and apply the tension of spring 62 to said abutments to hold them in their reversed positions and in sealing engagement with the periphery of rotor 20.

The slot 70 provides a loose connection between the rockers 55 and 56 so that the mechanism 73 may be manipulated to swing both rockers over center to reverse the direction that torque is applied to said abutments by said spring and yet leave the rockers a freedom of motion relative to each other after the reversing action has taken place whereby abutments 34 and 35 are free to independently adjust themselves to sealing engagement with the periphery of the rotor 20 as the rotary engine 10 operates.

As shown in FIG. 5, the invention also includes a reversing valve 75 which has an incoming pipe 76 for conveying fluid under high pressure to said valvefrom the pump P and a pipe 78 for returning spent fluid to said pump. The reversing valve 75 also has connected therewith a pipe 79 which connects through certain pipes 49 to passages 45 and 47 and a pipe 80 which connects through the other pipes 49 with fluid passages 44 and 46. The reversing valve 75 has a forked operating arm 81 which connects with handle 67 of reversing mechanism 73 so that reversing valve 75 reverses the direction of flow of liquid in the pipes 79 and 80 (hence in the passages 44, 46 and 45, 47) whenever the mechanism 73 is actuated to reverse the attitudes of the abutments 34 and 35 relative to the rotor 20. I

With the reversing mechanism positioned as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, fluid under high pressure is delivered to the main engine chamber through passages 45 and 47 and spent fluid is allowed to escape from said chamber through passages 44 and 46. This causes the rotor to rotate clockwise as indicated by the arrow 82. When the reversing mechanism 73 is actuated by pulling upwardly on handle 67 to reverse the positions of the abutments 34 and 35 with respect to rotor the reversing valve is actuated to deliver fluid under pressure to the engine 10 through pipe while connecting pipe 79 to pipe 78 whereby spent liquid is received by passages 45 and 47 and returned through pipe 78 to the pump P. This produces counter clockwise rotation of rotor 20.

OPERATION Attention is especially directed to the fact that the present invention is designed for use with fluids delivered thereto under very high pressures and that the piston areas provided by the sealing vanes 26 are necessarily small. As already described, it is clear that dependence is placed upon centrifugal force for extending these vanes outwardly into sealing engagement with the main chamber 15 of the engine. One of the great advances in the art provided by the present invention is the very small space in which fluid under pressure entering the chamber 15 is ineffective in transmitting torque to the rotor 20. A comparison of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 will show how the abutment 34 remains biased into contact with the rotor 20 at all times and during the particular time period being discussed, this abutment is engaged by one of the vanes 26 which is held outwardly by centrifugal force against said abut ment. This force is insufficient to overcome the torque applied to the abutment 34 by the spring 62 so that the vane 26 thus engaging abutment 34 yields radially inwardly during its contact with this abutment until it becomes flush with the peripheral surface of the rotor 20 as it passes the lip 42 of abutment 34. Immediately thereafter, this vane is propelled outwardly by centrifugal force for the very short distance separating it from the surface of the bore 15 and immediately establishes a sealing relationship therewith so that, as it enters the area of the fluid pressure delivering passage 45 it starts receiving fluid under pressure in the space behind the piston formed by this vane so that as the latter moves past the mouth of passage 45, the pressure fluid in this passage discharges into the chamber 15 directly behind this vane and delivers pressure fluid against the back face of this vane continuously until the next vane moves into a similar position to receive fluid under pressure from the passage 45.

As will be noted in FIG. 1, the internal structure of the rotary engine 10 is symmetrical on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing the axis of shaft 18 so that the functioning of the engine is exactly the same whichever direction the shaft 18 turns and the latter of course is determined by the position imparted by handle 67 to the reversing mechanism 73.

While the preferred design of the invention is as shown in the drawings in which at least two abutments are employed and the optimum number of pistons formed by vanes 26 in the rotor 20 is five, it is to be understand that, in its essence, the invention can be present in a rotary engine having only a single abutment and a rotor 20 having only a single piston. For practical purposes this simplicity is not often called for although it does comprise an operative rotary engine embodying the broad principles of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified form of the invention is here shown which will be referred to as rotary engine 10'. This engine includes certain main structural elements which correspond to similar elements found in rotary engine 10, above described. These elements in engine will be assigned the same reference numerals as were used to identify the corresponding elements in engine 10, but with prime attached. I

Thus rotary engine 10' has elements 1 l to inclusive; to inclusive; to 49 inclusive; 75 76 and 78' to 82 inclusive; the structure and functions of which elements respectively are identical with those of corresponding elements in rotary engine 10, with the exceptions, about to be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and "7.

The rotary engine 10' has embodied therein a means 85 for applying a relatively small torque by fluid pressure to each of the abutments 34 and 35 to hold these abutments constantly in sealing engagement with the rotor 20 (just as shown in FIG. 1 for abutments 34 and 35 in engine 10) to produce clockwise rotation of the rotor 20, and automatically functioning upon reversing the direction of flow of fluid under pressure through engine 10', to reverse the attitudes of the abutments 34' and 35 relative to the rotor 20' so as to produce anti-clockwise rotation of said rotor.

The fluid abutment biasing and automatic reversing means 85 includes counter bores 86 and 87 formed outwardly in plate 13' concentric with bearings 30' and surrounding outer end portions of trunnions 32 respectively of abutments 34 and 35'. These end portions of trunnions 32 have key slots 88 receiving abutment biasing vanes 89. The counter bores 86 and 87 have key slots 90 receiving stationary key blocks 91. The blocks 91 are key-stone shaped and form fixed, radial walls sealing off the spaces above the upper trunnion 32' within counter bore 86 and below the lower trunnion 32 within the counterbore 87.

Cap plates 92 secured to stator plate 13 by cap screws 93 cover counter bores 86 and 87. Outer ends of trunnions 32' are ground to make a fluid tight seal with cap plates 92 and key vanes 89 and key blocks 91 are ground to have fluid tight sealing engagement with said cap plates and with the surfaces of counter bores 86 and 87. Each of these counter bores is thus divided into two counter-poised expansion chambers 94 and 95. Delivery of pressure fluid into chambers 94 applies a clockwise torque to biasing vanes 89 and thus also to abutments 34' and 35 Delivery of pressure fluid into chambers 95 applies counter-clockwise torque to biasing vanes 89 and thus also to abutments 34' and 35.

Provision for selectively delivering fluid under pressure to chambers 94 or 95 is made by forming ducts 100 and 101 in stator 11' which connect passages and 44' respectively with chambers 94 and 95 of counter bore 86. Ducts 102 and 103 are also formed in said stator which connect passages 47 and 46 respectively with chambers 94 and 95 of counter bore 87.

Each of the ducts 100, 101, 102 and 103 is provided with a need|e-type restriction valve 104 for regulating the rate of flow permitted to fluid under pressure along any of said ducts.

In rotary engine 10', as in engine 10, fluid passages 45' and 47' are connected by pipe 79 to reversing valve 75' while passages 44' and 46' are connected to said valve by pipe 80. Fluid under pressure constantly flows from pump P through pipe 76' to said valve and spent fluid returns from said valve to the pump through pipe 78. When the handle 81 controlling valve is positioned as shown in full lines in FIG. 6, said valve connects pipe 76 with pipe 79 and pipe 78' with pipe thus delivering pressure fluid to engine 10' through passages 45' and 47, biasing abutments 34' and 35' clockwise against rotor 20' and causing clockwise rotation of said rotor as indicated by arrow 82 in FIG. 6.

Shifting handle 81' to its broken line position in FIG. 6, connects pipe 80' to pipe 76 and pipe 79' to pipe 78' thereby reversing the direction of flow of pressure fluid in all the passages and ducts of rotary engine 10', producing counter clockwise rotation of the rotor 20.

The reversal of the direction of flow of fluid through rotary engine 10' automatically and immediately rocks abutments 34' and 35' to reverse sweeping relationships relative to rotor 20' as well as delivering liquid under pressure to the latter in the opposite direction. The accomplishing of this automatic reversal of the abutments through the reversal of fluid flow through the engine has the great advantage of simplifying the reversal means because the entire reversal function responds to the operation of the reversing valve 75' alone. A major significance of this lies in the fact that this valve is always at the station of the operator which is frequently, indeed generally, a considerable distance from the engine being controlled. A special instance of this is found in jumbo earth moving equipment, the various power components of which are at points remote from the drivers seat from which control must be exercised.

, Iclaim:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of: a stator having a main cylindrical chamber provided with concentric bearings at its ends; a rotor occupying said chamber and having a shaft journalling in said bearings, said stator also having a cylindrical abutment chamber parallel with and intersecting said main chamber, said stator having abutment bearings coaxial with and at the ends of said abutment chamber; an abutment having trunnions concentric therewith and journalling in said abutment bearings, said abutment having a relatively flat face disposed toward said main chamber and being rotatable to withdraw said abutment entirely from said main chamber, transverse sealing lips being provided by said abutment along opposite transverse edges of said face, each of said lips making a sealing engagement with said abutment chamber when said lip lies within said chamber, said abutment being recessed in the area between said lips and disposed toward said abutment chamber to provide a semi-cylindrical pocket between said abutment and said chamber for the reception of pressure fluid, there being pressure fluid and spent fluid passages provided in said stator communicating with said main chamber close to and on opposite sides of i said abutment chamber, and a duct connecting said pressure fluid passage with said abutment chamber at a point opposite said pocket when said abutment is rocked to bring the adjacent edge of means forming a piston extending radially from the peripheral surface of said rotor and making a fluid tight seal with the walls of said main chamber;

means yieldably biasing said abutment to constantly press said adjacent edge thereof into sealing engagement with the peripheral surface of said rotor,

the surfaces of said abutment facing said pocket and subject to the pressure of fluid entering said pocket being substantially balanced about the axis of said abutment to prevent an excessive torque being applied by said fluid in either direction to said abutment;

means for rotating said abutment about its axis to reverse the attitude thereof with respect to said rotor and to reverse the direction of the torque applied to said abutment by said biasing means and to reverse the direction of flow of fluid in said passages whereby the passage formerly devoted to withdrawing spent fluid is employed to deliver fluid under pressure to the engine and the passage formerly used for delivering fluid under pressure to the engine is employed for withdrawing spent fluid from the engine,

said stator also providing a duct connecting said abutment chamber with the other fluid passage of the engine;

said means for reversing the attitude of said abut ment toward said rotor, and said abutment biasing means being comprised in radial vane means provided on one of said abutment trunnions and having its opposite faces subjected respectively to the fluid pressure in said passages whereby said abutment always assumes a trailing attitude relative to said rotor, no matter what direction the latter rotates, and is pressed into sealing engagement with the rotor along the trailing edge of the abutment with a relatively moderate pressure.

2. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein mutually opposed expansive fluid pressure chambers are provided in said stator on opposite sides of said radial vane means, the latter forming a common wall for said chambers and receiving a net torque force from the chamber in which the fluid pressure exceeds that in the other chamber, there being ducts connecting said stator fluid passages respectively to said pressure chambers to produce the functional coordination between said abutment and said rotor aforesaid, incident to the running of said engine in either direction and incident to the reversing of the engine from either direction to the opposite direction.

3. A combination as recited in claim 2 wherein regulating valve means are provided in said ducts connecting to said torque producing pressure chambers for limiting the amount of torque applied through said radial vane means to said abutment. 

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of: a stator having a main cylindrical chamber provided with concentric bearings at its ends; a rotor occupying said chamber and having a shaft journalling in said bearings, said stator also having a cylindrical abutment chamber parallel with and intersecting said main chamber, said stator having abutment bearings co-axial with and at the ends of said abutment chamber; an abutment having trunnions concentric therewith and journalling in said abutment bearings, said abutment having a relatively flat face disposed toward said main chamber and being rotatable to withdraw said abutment entirely from said main chamber, transverse sealing lips being provided by said abutment along opposite transverse edges of said face, each of said lips making a sealing engagement with said abutment chamber when said lip lies within said chamber, said abutment being recessed in the area between said lips and disposed toward said abutment chamber to provide a semicylindrical pocket between said abutment and said chamber for the reception of pressure fluid, there being pressure fluid and spent fluid passages provided in said stator communicating with said main chamber close to and on opposite sides of said abutment chamber, and a duct connecting said pressure fluid passage with said abutment chamber at a point opposite said pocket when said abutment is rocked to bring the adjacent edge of said face into sealing engagement with the peripheral surface of said rotor; means forming a piston extending radially from the peripheral surface of said rotor and making a fluid tight seal with the walls of said main chamber; means yieldably biasing said abutment to constantly press said adjacent edge thereof into sealing engagement with the peripheral surface of said rotor, the surfaces of said abutment facing said pocket and subject to the pressure of fluid entering said pocket being substantially balanced about the axis of said abutment to prevent an excessive torque being applied by said fluid in either direction to said abutment; means for rotating said abutment about its axis to reverse the attitude thereof with respect to said rotor and to reverse the direction of the torque applied to said abutment by said biasing means and to reverse the direction of flow of fluid in said passages whereby the passage formerly devoted to withdrawing spent fluid is employed to deliver fluid under pressure to the engine and the passage formerly used for delivering fluid under pressure to the engine is employed for withdrawing spent fluid from the engine, said stator also providing a duct connecting said abutment chamber with the other fluid passage of the engine; said means for reversing the attitude of said abutment toward said rotor, and said abutment biasing means being comprised in radial vane means provided on one of said abutment trunnions and having its opposite faces subjected respectively to the fluid pressure in said passages whereby said abutment always assumes a trailing attitude relative to said rotor, no matter what direction the latter rotates, and is pressed into sealing engagement with the rotor along the trailing edge of the abutment with a relatively moderate pressure.
 2. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein mutually opposed expansive fluid pressure chambers are provided in said stator on opposite sides of said radial vanE means, the latter forming a common wall for said chambers and receiving a net torque force from the chamber in which the fluid pressure exceeds that in the other chamber, there being ducts connecting said stator fluid passages respectively to said pressure chambers to produce the functional coordination between said abutment and said rotor aforesaid, incident to the running of said engine in either direction and incident to the reversing of the engine from either direction to the opposite direction.
 3. A combination as recited in claim 2 wherein regulating valve means are provided in said ducts connecting to said torque producing pressure chambers for limiting the amount of torque applied through said radial vane means to said abutment. 